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Phage (episode)
Neelix is attacked on an away mission by an alien who removes his lungs. Captain Janeway sets out in pursuit and learns that the aliens, the Vidiians, suffer from a deadly phage which is slowly destroying their population, so they harvest organs from other species to survive. Summary After identifying a rogue planetoid that Neelix says has dilithium available for mining, ''Voyager'' is en route as Janeway and Chakotay are discussing rations and what they had for breakfast. Janeway hasn't yet had anything, and is on her way to her private mess hall. She enters to find Neelix has converted it to a kitchen, and is preparing meals for the crew (without prior permission). Chakotay interrupts their conversation as they near the planetoid and calls for her. Neelix leaves with her, leaving the duties to Ensign Parsons who is rather distraught at the mess left for him. Janeway arrives on the bridge, and Harry Kim confirms that there are dilithium readings available, while B'Elanna shows subterrainain caves with an Oxygen / Nitrogen atmosphere. Chakotay confirms, showing it as a Class M. Precise readings are hard at best, but B'Elanna estimates about 500 to 1000 metric tons of raw ore available. Neelix exclaims that it is just as he said. Janeway then sends Chakotay down to the planet caves with an away team, and advises B'Elanna that she'd better get her refinery online to prepare for all the ore they are about to bring up. Ensign Kim, Chakotay and Neelix (after begging to go) beam down and begin searching for the dilithium. After beaming down to the caverns, Chakotay discovers several large pockets in the vicinity. They split up and start taking geological scans, and are advised to keep their comm channels open at all times, while staying within 50 meters of their split off point. Neelix while following his tricorder's readings, sweeps the direction that he's chosen to search in. As he's walking along, behind him a wall disperses to reveal a corridor protected originally by a holographic image and forcefield, while the occupant is seen leaving his hiding place to go after Neelix. Chakotay has contacted Kim and is explaining that he's found dilithium signatures, but there's no raw ore visible. Kim meanwhile is running a geostratal analysis of the rock, coming to pretty much the same conclusion: No dilitium. Neelix then contacts Chakotay saying that he's found something. A large cavern about 20 meters from his position. Reading a huge dilithium formation, even agaist Chakotay's warning, proceeds anyway. Upon entering the cavern, finds the same thing as the other two. Nothing. Exasperated, and scanning about with his tricorder and his arm-mounted flash light, Chakotay voices his assumption and says that he's had enough. He then calls for Kim and Neelix to head back to the entry point so that they can return to the ship. Neelix interrupts Chakotay, says that he's found some unusual readings from a rock face. Traces of organic energy are present, and seemingly about 2 meters into the rock. Chakotay is urgent in his warning, telling Neelix to get back to where him and Kim are. Ignoring them, Neelix turns away from the rock face as the field disperses and shows a figure standing with a device pointed at Neelix. Unaware of the new figure, Neelix spins to face the newly opened hallway, in shock that there's no longer a rock wall. The figure had ducked away into the shadows and lurks close by. As Neelix walks toward the entry to the corridor, you see the figure once again raise the device behind him. As Neelix spins around to see them, they fire at Neelix, removing his lungs surgically, but at a distance by a wave of energy. Chakotay hears something, and starts asking what was wrong - as he gets no answer, he rushes off toward Neelix's location, calling for Kim to follow. They find Neelix on the ground, flailing about, obviously in some kind of shock and unable to breathe. Beaming directly to sick bay, The Doctor comes over toward Neelix who is now struggling on the bed, orders a blood-gas infuser. Ordering Kim to hold Neelix still, he injects Neelix as he starts slipping into a coma. The Doctor states to Chakotay that he's only got a short time before dying since his lungs were removed. Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 48532.4. We’re on our way to a rogue planetoid which Mr. Neelix tells us is an extremely rich source of raw dilithium. If he’s right, this could go a long way toward easing our power shortage. '' *''Captain’s log, supplemental. We are pursuing the alien ship from the moon. They are not responding to hails, and it appears that our two ships are evenly matched for speed. '' *''Captain’s log, supplemental. The aliens have successfully transplanted one of Kes’s lungs into Neelix. The dampening field has been deactivated, and I have allowed them to beam back to their vessel. We are resuming a course home. '' Memorable Quotes "I don't have the freedom to kill you to save another. My culture finds that to be a reprehensible and entirely unacceptable act." : - Kathryn Janeway "Indefinitely? You mean I... could be in here the rest of my life?" "Yes." "But we're trying to find the aliens that did this to you. The Captain is doing everything she can." "Well... hrm, if I'm going be in here a while, now is as good a time as any to tell you. Your ceiling is '''hideous'." "''I didn't design the room, I just work here." : - Neelix, The Doctor, and Kes "According to my scans, you are not here." "Believe me, I wish I weren't." : - Dereth and The Doctor "He's just one big hormone walking around the ship" : - Neelix, warning Kes about Paris "Don't worry, I'm not going to kiss you. I'm only adjusting the restraint." "I'll try to contain my disappointment." : - Neelix's sarcastic response to The Doctor Background Information * The exterior of the asteroid the Vidiians used for cover is a reuse of the asteroid shown in TNG: "The Pegasus". * This episode marks the first appearance of Neelix's galley. He creates the galley by converting Janeway's private dining room, doing so without permission. * Part of the Doctor's dialogue indicates that the replicators can be used to replicate new, or at least artificial, organs. Specifically the Doctor says "Our replicators can't produce compatible artificial organs...", referring to Neelix. As replicators are known to be unable to replicate living tissue it is safe to assume that the Doctor was referring to organs similar to Captain Picard's artificial heart, a clearly mechanical device. * The name originally scripted for the Vidiians was "Vaphorans." Either Dereth or Motura clearly mouths the word "Vaphoran" in Voyager's transporter room, but "Vidiian" was subsequently looped over it (source: Star Trek: Voyager Companion). *The rogue planetoid shown early in the episode has a very distinct terminator, despite being (by definition) not part of any solar system. Links and References Guest Stars *Cully Fredricksen as Dereth *Stephen B. Rappaport as Motura *Martha Hackett as Seska Co-Stars *Majel Barrett as Computer voice *An Unknown actor as Parsons References 47, asparagus, biobed, blood-gas infuser, captain's private dining room, Cytoplasmic stimulator, dampening field, darvot fritter, dilithium, eggs Benedict, honatta, ''Intrepid''-class, isotropic restraint, KLS stabilizer, mess hall, neural resonator, neutronium, oatmeal, Ocampa, phage (disease), phaser, pulmonary scanner, Rectilian vulture, ration pack #5, strawberry, Talaxian, tricorder operations manual, Vidiian, Vidiian Sodality, Yalidian Category:VOY episodes de:Transplantationen es:Phage nl:Phage (aflevering)